Suffering?

Fr. Mike Schmitz held a break-out session on the topic, "God is in Suffering". Fr. Mike said that sometimes when we are in deep pain, we make God out to be a tyrant, rather than our Father. But, God is not a tyrant. He gives people free will. Fr. Mike said, "We can use freedom for great things, but we can also use it for terrible things." We often hear, "Where's God when people suffer?", but Fr. Mike asked, "Where are you?" God wants us to help each other. He suffers with us, Fr. Mike said, "When your heart breaks, God's heart breaks. We worship the God of a broken heart."

So where is God in suffering? God is IN suffering. He is on our side. Fr. Mike let the teens know, "Suffering is not a part of God's plan, but even in suffering God's plan is not thwarted." Fr. Mike said there are two things we can do to help with our suffering. We can remember that God took the worst event in history (the crucifixion) and made it the best event in history. "He can take something terrible and make something amazing out of it." We can also help others who are suffering by being with them in their suffering. He drew a parallel with the Lord of the Rings movie and how in the movie Frodo felt burdened by the ring he carried. His good friend, Sam, said, "...I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you!"

Fr. Mike said it is no accident that the name of the friend who carried Frodo's ring is very close to the name of the man who helped Jesus carry His cross, Simon. We are to be like Simon and help Jesus carry the cross. How do we do this? Fr. Mike said, "It was by suffering that Christ redeemed the world. When He did that He gave a power to weakness, He gave a power to suffering." He said that by offering up our suffering and willingly carrying it in silence, we participate in the suffering on the cross and reap the benefits along with the redemptive value of the cross. He left the teens with this message, "In Christ, your suffering can mean something if you give it to Him. Take your suffering to Jesus. He transforms it. Ask Him to use it for others."